Distance Education

Getting Started

1. APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

• New Students- The first step is to complete the Application for Admission process to get your student record created and ready for you to register for classes.
  • Complete the Application for Admission form and pay the $35 non-refundable application fee.
  • Submit official high school transcript (or GED) and official college transcripts (this may involves making a formal request in writing to the institutions you attended asking them to send your official records to NDSCS Enrollment Services).
  • Submit ACT or SAT test results. If you do not have these tests, you will need to take a COMPASS test
  • Submit proof of immunization for measles, mumps and rubella. (Students who will never be on the NDSCS campus may have this waived. If you get a hold on your account preventing you from registering for classes due to missing immunization records and you are a distant student, you may contact NDSCS Health Services and ask them to waive the requirement and remove the hold.)
• Former Students - Former NDSCS students do not need to pay the application fee again. You need to complete the Re-Application form to update your student record so you can register for classes. Also submit additional official transcripts for education completed since you were last enrolled and submit immunization records if you will be taking any classes on campus.

Please allow approximately two weeks for the application to be processed. You should then receive a packet from Enrollment Services with your ID number and instructions to register for classes. If you don't hear from them within two weeks, contact them at 1-800-342-4325, ext 3-2202 to be sure they received your application.

• Course Placement Requirements - Course placement for English and Math classes is based upon ACT or SAT test scores. Students who do not have these will need a COMPASS assessment to determine the proper placement in college English or Math classes. For help finding a COMPASS test site in your region, contact Distance Education by email or call 1-800-342-4325, ext 3-2347.
• Financial Information - Students taking online and off-campus classes may apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA application. You can find infomation and a link to the FAFSA form on the NDSCS Financial Aid site. Complete this step as soon as you decide to enroll in college classes so you have time for it to be processed before classes begin. Students need to be enrolled inat least six credits per semester to apply for financial assistance.
  
  Students can check their account balance in the ConnectND system by logging in at CampusConnection. See instructions to use the Financial system at the Business Affairs Web site. Students should refer to the "Refund Schedule" and "Academic Calendar" for important deadlines during the semester.
• Using CampusConnection (also called PeopleSoft) - Getting Your CampusConnection Password, Register for Classes, Add-Drop Classes, View/Print Class Schedules and Unofficial Transcripts, View Account Balance
  • Registration Procedures
  • Viewing and printing class schedules - You can view and print your class schedules from the CampusConnection system.
  • Forgot My PeopleSoft Password - You can have your password emailed to you by going to the CampusConnection site, clicking "Forgot my password" and completing the requested information (You will need your ID number).
  • Forgot My UserID for CampusConnection - You can get your CampusConnection ID number by going to that site and clicking the "What is My UserID?" link and completing the requested information.
  • Viewing account balances - Log into the CampusConnection system and you can view your account balances. Paper bills will not be mailed to home addresses so students must check account balances online.
• Fee Payment Information - Accounts must be paid prior to the end of the Wildcat Fee Payment days each semester to avoid additional late fees of $50. Students should check for these dates to know the deadlines.
• Ordering Books - Books are needed for online classes and can be purchased from our Bookstore online at http://www.ndscsbooks.com or by calling 800-342-4325, ext 3-2239..
• Accessing Your Online Classes and Online Orientation (new students)
• Attendance Policy - Distance Education strictly adheres to the Attendance Policy and online students need to login into classes and submit class work frequently to avoid being dropped from classes as inactive students. Students who do not submit class work over a ten-day period may be dropped from a class.
• Refund Schedule for Partial Drop (dropping part of class load but not withdrawing from school)
  Students who drop a class shall receive a 100% refund of tuition only for the first 0-8.999% of the semester. This equates to approximately the first seven-eight (7-8) class days for full-semester classes and approximately the first three-four (3-4) class days for half-semester and summer classes. Classes dropped after the 100% refund date will receive no refund unless a student is totally withdrawing from college for that semester. Classes meeting during a different schedule will follow a customized refund schedule.
• Withdawing from School (dropping all classes)
  If a student is totally withdrawing from school, partial tuition/fees may be refunded based upon the "Refund Schedule" and the SBHE refund policy.
• Online Orientation Class - New online students will have an opportunity to take an online orientation class called "SCS 101 Bits and Bytes for Online Success." An email will be sent prior to the semester asking if you'd like the orientation so watch your email before classes begin. It takes just a few hours and is instructor led. You will be asked to do small assignments to learn how to use the online class tools.

How to Keep Your Login IDs and Password Straight - Students may receive multiple Login IDs and Passwords from NDSCS. Most of these are case sensitive so be sure to watch for upper and lowercase letters when logging in. Here are the most common ones:

• CampusConnection (PeopleSoft) - The EMPL ID and Password for this system will have a "W" in front of the ID number and is case sensitive. It is your official Student ID and Password used to complete the electronic Application for Admission, register for classes, check account balances, view your class schedules, update your personal information, get your grades, etc. Keep this in a safe place so you have it when you need it. If you lose or forget them, you can get them from the system by followign the instructions explained above under "Using CampusConnection."
• NDSCS Email - Students are required to set up an NDSCS email account. This can be done after you have completed the Application for Admission process. The email address format will be firstname.lastname@ndscs.edu and you'll create a password when you activate your email account. Students will then be able to access their email through the "Web Mail" link on the NDSCS Home page. NOTE: Do not forward your college email to another account. Some accounts have been blocking email announcements sent to NDSCS students and you may miss these notices if it is forwarded to another account, i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, etc. To help you set up your email account, instructions have been posted in the NDSCS Online Web site under "Apply and Register."
• NDSCS Online Classes - Online students will be emailed a login and password to use at the NDSCS Online site to access online classes when the semester begins. The format for your class Login and Password is first name, middle initial, last name, birth year. Example: JaneSDoe82